Waipā local Ruth Mylchreest, a neurology clinical nurse specialist at Waikto Hospital, is challenging herself to climb Kakepuku Mountain 10 times in 24 hours to raise awareness and funds for Motor Neurone Disease and Huntington's Disease. Photo / Dean Taylor
Waipā local Ruth Mylchreest, a neurology clinical nurse specialist at Waikto Hospital, is challenging herself to climb Kakepuku Mountain 10 times in 24 hours to raise awareness and funds for Motor Neurone Disease and Huntington's Disease. Photo / Dean Taylor
Waipā local Ruth Mylchreest is taking on something that is both physically and mentally challenging - but it is nothing compared to the challenges of those she cares for and supports in her job as a specialist nurse.
Ruth is a neurology clinical nurse specialist at Waikato Hospital, providing care and support for people living with Motor Neurone Disease (MND) and Huntington’s Disease, which are rare neurodegenerative diseases.
She is currently in training for the Kakepuku 10 Challenge, the name she has given to the event to raise awareness and funds for people affected by MND and Huntington’s Disease in the Waikato.
Her plan is to climb Kakepuku Mountain 10 times in 24 hours; a total distance of about 75km and an elevation of 4490m on Saturday, November 18.
Ruth hopes to raise $15,000 through the Kakepuku 10 Challenge Givealittle page. She is also open to business sponsorship for a leg of the challenge.
Any funds raised will be donated equally to two charitable organisations: Motor Neurone Disease New Zealand and Multiple Sclerosis Waikato, the organisation which provides community-based support to people living with Huntington’s Disease along with the support they provide for people with Multiple Sclerosis.
In the Waikato, Ruth cares for about 35 people with MND and supports 25 families of people with Huntington’s.
She describes each disease as cruel in its own way, hard on those suffering, and their families, and always without cure.
She says there isn’t enough research into the diseases and not enough understanding of the needs of those in care.
Ruth especially wants to fill the gap in care around the psychological needs of those in care and support for carers.
“Carer burnout and financial stress are real pressures,” she says.
“Many people suffering from MND or Huntington’s are in the prime of their lives so they have jobs, mortgages, families and lives to live.
“They can also be a physical handful as they deteriorate and because sufferers don’t appreciate the effect they have on others, they put stress on relationships and families.”
Ruth hopes her challenge will be the start of something significant in terms of care and ongoing financial support.
She wanted to do something and was inspired to do the Kakepuku 10 Challenge because of the importance the mountain plays in her life.
The view of Kakepuku Mountain from Ruth Mylchreest's home which helped inspire her challenge. Photo / Ruth Mylchreest
Ruth can see Kakepuku from her home south of Pirongia and from her office window at Waikato Hospital.
The challenge had to be tough, although as stated, it isn’t anything compared to what her patients and their families go through.
Even since launching the challenge she has been contacted by Waikato families living with Huntington’s Disease who were not aware of the care and support they can receive through the Waikato Hospital Neurology service and wider community-based services.
